So long and thanks for all the...

KeyLargoBees · January 26, 2016, 02:55:12 PM

Had a hive abscond this morning....watched em leave from my office chair.......being pretty new to all this and never having a hive of mine swarm I was pretty impressed to see the hive empty in less than 3 minutes....ran outside and tracked the swarm on my bike but lost em over a wooded area ;-( spent an hour traipsing through the woods and couldn't find em.

Was in the hive yesterday and "rearranged the furniture" to clean up some burr and cross comb and fix some foundation less "wobble" comb and what not and I don't think they liked me in my role as interior decorator.

On the up side I checke some swarm traps I have in the neighborhood around my yard and I see scouts around one of my swarm traps so maybe they will come back to me after all ;-)

Blacksheep · January 26, 2016, 03:09:59 PM

Did you see any swarm cells when you did the inspection? Probably won't be the last time that happens!Bee will be Bees!!

KeyLargoBees · January 26, 2016, 03:45:27 PM

No swarm cells....inspection was only yesterday saw the queen all seemed well.....this was an abscond due to me re-arranging the furniture I am guessing......hard to believe they would abandon brood and suck up every drop of honey over night and bolt but it happened.

Michael Bush · January 26, 2016, 03:53:49 PM

...fish... er.... I mean syrup...

mtnb · January 26, 2016, 06:36:47 PM

aw bummer Jeff. You win some you lose some I guess. I can't wait to see my first swarm. Hopefully they'll or others find your traps! Good luck.

...fish... er.... I mean syrup...>>>no idea what that means sir lol

little john · January 26, 2016, 06:49:23 PM

Quote from: MT Bee Girl on January 26, 2016, 06:36:47 PM
I can't wait to see my first swarm.

Incoming or outgoing ... ?

Quote...fish... er.... I mean syrup...>>>no idea what that means sir lol

"So long, and thanks for all the fish ..." is a quote from HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy - suitably altered by MB to the bee-equivalent.
LJ

Michael Bush · January 26, 2016, 07:20:52 PM

>"So long, and thanks for all the fish ..." is a quote from HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy - suitably altered by MB to the bee-equivalent.

Yes.
http://www.amazon.com/Long-Thanks-Hitchhikers-Guide-Galaxy/dp/0345391837/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453850379&sr=8-1&keywords=so+long+and+thanks+for+all+the+fish

That's what the dolphins said just before they left...

KeyLargoBees · January 26, 2016, 07:44:50 PM

Trust me there is no joy in an outgoing swarm ;-P

I had a LOT of scouts around the swarm trap thats on the back corner of my yard today...its too close to the absconded hive to lure them back probably but its the first activity I have seen on it so we shall see ;-)

Maybe I will break even over the next few days....seeing a lot of drones making an appearance in my other hives so the season is about to pop I think.

capt44 · January 26, 2016, 08:58:28 PM

Here in Central Arkansas we've had a basically mild winter causing the bees to eat a lot.
I am feeding the bees candy boards I've made.
Some beekeepers have had hives abscomb or leave with plenty of honey stores in the hives.
The bees just leave.

We had 7 inches of snow and Thursday it's suppose to be in the mid to upper 60's.
The long range forecast is calling for a mild February.

GSF · January 26, 2016, 10:36:27 PM

Key, there's been numerous reports about bees just up and leaving lately. Very similar to CCD. You may not have had anything to do with it at all.

richter1978 · January 27, 2016, 08:58:14 AM

I had a boomer leave last week.

KeyLargoBees · January 27, 2016, 03:11:54 PM

Looking out my back window now and my other "boomer" hive is having a torrent of what i hope are orientation flights...air is filled with bees and they are all going back into the hive so far and just swirling around...and not performing a mass exodus...after yesterdays abscond to say I have butterflies in my stomach as I watch this is an understatement ;-P

yes2matt · January 27, 2016, 03:39:36 PM

Quote from: GSF on January 26, 2016, 10:36:27 PM
Key, there's been numerous reports about bees just up and leaving lately. Very similar to CCD. You may not have had anything to do with it at all.

So I need to have swarm traps out yesterday, not March 1 like I thought?

:scrambling:

I also didn't get the Hitchhikers ref.

KeyLargoBees · January 27, 2016, 05:53:30 PM

I am just a tad further south than you my friend <-------Florida Keys

GSF is talking about the late fall absconds that were reported here and on other sites.....not recent as in January I don't think.

Acebird · January 27, 2016, 05:57:58 PM

Probably just irresponsible bees from all the island drink...

BeeMaster2 · January 27, 2016, 08:14:47 PM

Yea, they did not fly away. They did "The Duval Craw".

Jim

KeyLargoBees · January 28, 2016, 07:16:14 AM

They probably found a stash of Rum ....and made one too many Pina Coladas. That's what they are working right now....Coconut Palms are in bloom :-)

mtnb · January 28, 2016, 09:40:46 AM

Oh! I didn't get it. By the time I got to MB, I had forgotten about the title which is a great title, btw. lol Of course I've read that hook. I have it. Lol

I'll be happy to see a swarm, coming rather than going, if I had my choice. lol

KeyLargoBees · January 28, 2016, 01:50:29 PM

The queen probably heard me talking....I wasn't happy with her performance and was going to replace her as soon I could get a new one in here in early March....so she took off for brighter pastures.

Note to all Beeks...don't have cell phone conversations about queen replacement within ear shot of the hives ;-)

Acebird · January 28, 2016, 02:18:18 PM

Quote from: KeyLargoBees on January 28, 2016, 01:50:29 PM
I wasn't happy with her performance and was going to replace her as soon I could get a new one in here in early March.

20/20 hindsight might be she was slimming down to flight weight and that appeared as poor performance.